"Not half-burnt body parts but pieces of wood," Administration rules out cremation-inconsistencies in Silchar Samshan

Friday morning, a couple of images went viral on social media giving rise to tension in Ambicapatty and Samshan Road area. Apparently, pedestrians saw mortal remains of COVID victim lying half-burnt in and around the crematorium. They clicked images of the same and uploaded them on Facebook.

Former ward commissioner, Sajal Banik wrote to the executive officer of the Silchar Municipality Board praying him to look into the matter. It is worth mentioning here that the Board has dissolved earlier this year bringing an end to Niharendra Narayan Thakur’s tenure as the chairman. An election to the new Municipality Board is yet to be held. The interim executive officer is additional deputy commissioner of Cachar, Sumit Sattavan.

Banik in his grievance to Sattavan wrote that locals reached out to him with pictures of a “dead body that wasn’t burned properly.” He alleged that some parts of his body and sticks were left half-burnt. He also stated that the body was of a COVID victim and urged the executive officer to look into the matter as he deemed it to be “extremely sensitive.”

The administration, however, clarified that “Those were only pieces of wood and not body parts.” As per available information, at around 12:15 in the afternoon, the circle officer visited the location and confirmed those were only pieces of wood.

“I was sent some images… we enquired through the magistrate, it was half-burnt wood and not body parts,” said Sumit Sattavan. He added that he has communicated the same to the former ward commissioner and requested him to verify it further.

Our correspondent tried to reach out to the former ward commissioner for comment but repeated calls did not incur any response.

One pyre in Silchar Crematorium has been kept reserved for the funeral of COVID victims.